Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Sometimes, when you try something new, it helps to have a guide or a coach or someone to encourage you to get the most out of an experience. Our state and national parks have some great rangers and interpreters who can help you become a hiker, and one of the best is El Paso's Franklin Mountains State Park, Adrianna Weickhardt. New to Texas, Adrianna joined the park staff in October, and she's been encouraging new hikers ever since.

This week, Adrianna begins a new series of women's beginner hikes!

Adrianna leads a group of hikers up the mountain!

We visited with her recently....here's the basic info! "Thursday (3/22) is the
first ALL WOMEN'S HIKE that we've had at the park: This hike is for the
females out there who are new to the recreational activity of hiking,
would like guidance in getting started, and by having a group of other
first time hikers the experience will be easy going and enjoyable -
you'll have the support of other females, feel empowered as you start
mastering your own skills in hiking, and learn about Chihuahuan desert
flora and fauna along the way.For more information on the hikes, call headquarters at (915) 566-6441."

Adrianna, tell us more about the "women's hikes!"

"This
is going to be a great opportunity for females of all ages who may feel
some apprehension or fear about starting this new activity. They will
learn all of the fundamentals of hiking, taking a slower pace, starting
with beginner level trails, and have an experienced guide along for the
entire hike to lead them, assist, and answer any questions. The
support that comes from having an all women’s hike is unmatched; you’ll
be surrounded by fellow first time female hikers all trying something
new, and the comfortable environment created from setting up a newbies
hike like this can really allow each woman to take the experience at her
own pace, enjoy the learning process, and ease her into the fantastic
world of hiking!"

How did Adrianna learn to be an "outdoors person?"

"Thanks to my family being health conscious and nature loving people, I was introduced to the outdoors from day one. I
can’t thank them enough for “raisin’ me right” in the sense that they
instilled in me an appreciation for the outdoors, initially through
horseback riding in the San Gabriel Mountains of southern California. But,
I spent a majority of my life hiking, mountain biking, and horseback
riding in the Ozark mountains of Arkansas, with lush rolling hills,
flowing creeks and rivers, and a LOT of trees. I’d have to say a comparison of the Franklin Mountains and the Ozark Mountains would be comparing apples to oranges. I love them both, and each ecosystem has some incredible aspects to appreciate. The
Franklin Mountains have so many unique qualities beginning with the
hidden wonders found in the caves and mines to the surprise of finding
the springs that flow continuously in this Chihuahuan Desert mountain
range. There are incredible hiking and biking trails that unveil
sprawling vistas (not to mention jaw dropping sunrise and sunset
viewing), and there's such an easy access to opportunities to explore
the geology and wildlife all within the city limits of El Paso. Hiking
and biking in the Franklin Mountains is nothing like doing the same in
the Ozarks; in the desert you get views as far as the eye can see,
literally you could watch your dog run away for 3 days out here."

Thursday, March 1, 2012

One of our favorite parts of Runner's World magazine is their back page feature, "I'm a Runner." Every month they feature a "celebrity" in a mini-interview about their own running practice. Some of them will surprise you...

Do you know it feels to spend too much time on the couch, hips widening as the years roll by? Or the sting of being picked last for athletic teams in school? Me too. But I also know how it feels to finally get up and get moving, and how that can be the greatest gift you can give yourself. Now a 50-something athlete, I'm accomplished in some endeavors and happy to be at-the-back-of-the-pack in others. It didn't happen overnight, and it took support and advice from friends and motivation from within to get fit. And we're all a work in progress. Want to get off the couch yourself? Start where you are, put one foot in front of the other and move with us!